The former Abia state governor and Senator-Elect, Abia North senatorial district, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu says he will be running opening for the position of the Deputy Senate president regardless of the decision of the party if the South-East is denied the Deputy Senate President position in the Senate.
In an interview with reporters in one of the Private airlinr facility in Lagos on his way to the U.S, the Dr. Orji Kalu said he was committed to democracy and it would not be fair and just to zone the Senate president seat to the North-East and still want to take the Deputy Senate President seat to the North-west.
Kalu said “I want to respect the party’s wish and the second position is what we are not going to allow to leave the South East. So as far as am concerned, in the South East, am going to run openly in the floor of the House as Senator President. I am not going to listen to anybody. Nobody who is going to be the Deputy Senate President is more loyal than I am to the party.”
He emphasized that he would contest vehemently for the position and lobby other senators to save the South-East for being denied this position and short- changed in this current democratic dispensation.
The Abia North senator elect, said he would fight like nobody had done before to secure the Deputy Senate president slot for the South-East, adding that he was not challenging the party but looking for justice for all.
Giving assurance that he will succeed, the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain said “We are going to be seeing votes on the session of the House because Section 50 of the Constitution and Section 1 of the Constitution make it very clear that the members of the National Assembly in the House can elect executives; and I am going to use that Section to be running”.
Dr. Orji Kalu noted that he had worked assiduously for the party, had been loyal to the party and have the capability and capability to occupy this position.
He noted that the party may have taken it decision but more decisions would be taken on the floor of the House where the party would not be present, adding that it would become the APC versus the PDP.
According to him, for fair and justice which had been the watchword of President Mohammadu Buhari, the country should not be divided by the National Assembly or positions there in.
“I learnt they zoned the Deputy Senate President to the North East and its impossible to do anything like that. We are going to contest vehemently on the floor of the House. I have respect for the party; am going to be withdrawing from the Senate Presidency to run for the Deputy Senate President because the party is Supreme. Whether they zone it or give it to an individual, what is left for the party members and House members to do is to decide, but for the Deputy Senate President, I will contest with any candidate who comes at the floor of the House”.
“Party is supreme and I have told you that before. I know that our Chairman is a listening Chairman and also President Buhari is a man of justice. So if justice must prevail, you bring the Senate President to North East, then you bring the Deputy Senate President to South East. ”
According to him,” there will be no party there; there will be nobody there. It will be PDP versus APC and anybody can shop. It is an open market. It is going to be an open market on the floor of the House and I am capable of shopping. I will shop for the Deputy Senate President back to South. We are not going to leave it in the North Wrst”, Kalu said.
